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Kids Who Stutter

Contact us for more information!If you (or someone you know)are interested in more informationabout these opportunities foryoung people who stutter, pleasecontact Linda R. Hinderscheit at hinde001@umn.edu.

As part of HIPAA complianceregulations, please note that ifyou would like to communicate viaemail, you must submit anelectronic consent form.

See testimonials from kidswho have participated in campand their parents.

The University of Minnesota Kids Who Stutter (UMKWS) camp has been in existence since 2009. One of the main goals of camp is to allow children who stutter to meet one another. Many of our campers have never before met anyone else who stutters, which can be a very isolating experience. Because stuttering is a multi-factorial impairment, which affects much more than speech fluency, the focus of UMKWS camp is on the social, emotional, and attitudinal aspects of stuttering. Our goal is for kids to accept themselves as people who stutter who can also be very good communicators.

Camp Dates and Activities

Camp is held in mid-June, immediately after Metro Area school districts have completed their academic year. In the mornings, we offer a half-day program for children who are entering 3rd to 5th grades. In the afternoons of the same week, we offer a half-day program for children who are entering 6th to 8th grades. The size of the groups is limited to 10 children each. Transportation to and from camp is not provided.

Camp is held at the University of Minnesota campus. Our base of operations is Shevlin Hall; however, we make very good use of the many resources available on campus.

These facilities are within walking distance of Shevlin Hall or accessible by the intercampus bus.

Through the week, the kids also participate in small group sessions with a graduate student clinician and large group discussions.

The small group sessions may include:

Getting basic facts about stuttering and bullying and sharing them with others

Understanding one’s own stuttering and becoming desensitized to it

Practicing voluntary stuttering as a means to gain more control over speech

Exploring how our own thoughts and attitudes affect our emotions, how our body feels and reacts, and what we do about speech

Developing a support network

Developing skits to demonstrate what we would like others to know about stuttering

Large group discussions may include a variety of social and emotional issues related to being a person who stutters, including negative/positive self-talk, developing coping strategies, educating others about stuttering, and dealing with teasing. This group is led by two young adults who stutter (one male, one female).

At the end of the week, we invite family and friends to a reception and show where the kids perform their skits about stuttering.

A generous donor has covered most of the costs of camp. There is a small materials fee to participate, but scholarships are available based on need.

Spotlight on Camp Staff: Joel Korte

As part of Boyd Huppert's Land of 10,000 Stories, KARE11 focused on UMN MA-SLP graduate Joel Korte, who plays a big part in our camp. The story was then picked up by USA Today and featured on their website. Watch the video for a quick glimpse into the life of Joel and the great things he does for our camp.

To see a quick glimpse of some of our campers talking about stuttering and how it has affected them, watch this short teaser from KARE11.